The Same Old Harry, But With One Difference
by Hogwarts Is My City
Summary: What if Lily and James Potter never died? What if, to save their son, they made a huge promise to the Dark Lord? Then, well, their lives would be very different. Different!Harry!
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note**

Please note I am British so don't just assume that spellings are incorrect.

I hope you enjoy this read!

* * *

Voldemort smashed through the house, his only will was to fulfil the prophecy and that **HAD** to be done. No, 'oh that was close', no, time for failure, it simply **had** to be done.

It wasn't long before Voldemort had reached James Potter, infact, it seemed as though the Potters weren't even prepared, this pleased Voldemort, with there not being major threats.

"Move! I see what you hiding!" His cold high voice echoed through the house, having a slight affect on the temperature (though not much).

"Please, leave Harry alone, I'll do anything," The pleading gave Voldemort time to consider, and very soon, he had made a decision.

"Will you and your wife become Death Eaters?" Voldemort questioned, knowing they'd agree, if they'd risk their lives for their son then how could this offer be rejected, "I will, perhaps, require your service."

"You will also need to," Voldemort began, "Make your son interested in the dark arts, if I cannot fulfil the prophecy then I may as well have the honour to know the person who is a threat to me is on my side."

'If all I have to do is this to protect my son,' James thought, 'then why not?'

The second James agreed, Voldemort had already vanished, and it was at that moment, that James suddenly began to feel nothing but regret.

* * *

"Is Slytherin a better house?" Lily Potter sighed, ever since Harry had received his Hogwarts acceptance letter, he'd been nagging them so much that it got to the point where Lily had begun to hesitate before replying. This question, however, required some reflecting, Lily had thought back to what her husband had told, her, remembering to interest Harry in the dark arts.

"Well Harry," Lily answered, not sure if this was a presumption or simply a fact, "Slytherin is known for having young students who turn to the dark arts when they become adults."

"So, you want me to be in that house?" Immediately, Lily knew the answer, firstly, in her opinion, she wouldn't mind any, the one that best fitted Harry would be fine, secondly, however, in her heart, she knew that there'd be more of a chance of people in the Slytherin house who'd have parents who were Death Eaters and this was probably what the Dark Lord would have wanted.

Harry, eager for more information, opened his mouth, "Nope no more questions Harry, we have to go to Diagon Alley whilst your father's at work."

As Lily led the way, Harry's face dropped, and Harry departed, trudging behind her.

"Harry, all we've got to get now is your robes, come on."

Harry scanned the room, noticing his mum and another woman purchasing robes, he also spotted a boy (with silky blond hair) leaning against a wall.

"I'm Draco Malfoy," putting his hand out, "And you are?"

"H-Harry, Harry Potter," putting his hand out also.

"My parents have told me a bit about these Potters, two of them went to Hogwarts when my parents were still there," Malfoy paused, "Are you related?"

"Probably," There was a definite possibility that these so called 'Potters' were his parents.

"What house do you reckon you'll be in, I reckon I'll be in Slytherin," Malfoy stated with a huge sense of pride. Harry really didn't know much about the houses, he liked this Malfoy guy though and blurted out,

"Same."

"Nice one! You seem alright, see you at Hogwarts then!" Malfoy exclaimed as he trotted off to his mum who was impatiently waiting at the exit.

Harry returned to his own mum, expecting questions and somehow Harry happened to be bang on.

"Who was that boy?"

"He's Draco Malfoy." Harry answered whilst seeming a bit annoyed.

"Did you like him?"

Harry shot a look at his mum, why would he talk to him if he didn't like him, it didn't at all make sense.

"I'm sorry Harry, so I'm not allowed to ask questions but you are?" Lily shot back sarcastically.

Harry's temper rised significantly and forbidding to let it out was even a challenge,

"I'm glad you picked that up."

Unfortunately for Harry, later that day found him locked up in his room doing practically nothing. He'd sworn he wouldn't do what he did again, however, as he thought about it, he could've definitely done worse.

The rest of the holidays flew by and soon it was time for Harry's first ever trip to Hogwarts.

"Have a wonderful time and remember what I told you about, don't make friends with the wrong people." Lily informed Harry.

"Yeah, yeah." Rolling his eyes away from his mum. She kissed him (Harry attempted his best to avoid this) and then left Harry to get to Hogwarts.

* * *

"Come sit with us." Harry glanced, it was a red haired boy sitting opposite a girl with brown bushy hair.

"Oi, Harry over here!" Malfoy exclaimed, "don't sit with them." Casting a dirty look, he pointed. Harry followed Malfoy's finger, it lead to the people who had asked him to sit with them before. He looked them up and down before approaching to Malfoy's compartment.

"Good decision," Malfoy glanced back, "They were probably losers anyway."

"Yeah." The others (including Harry) parroted.

This was it, the journey to Hogwarts had begun.

* * *

 **Authors Note**

I hope you've enjoyed reading the first chapter.

In total I spent around an hour and a half on this so yeah.

This story could go two ways:

1\. Harry abandons Malfoy and makes friends with Ron and Hermonie and they convince him to go away from the dark arts by how they behave, which causes his parents to get frustated with him and then his parents get killed by Voldemort in the end.

2\. Harry sticks with the dark arts and the wizarding world is in threat because of all the power Voldemort's side has, if you choose this way then he'll stay friends with Malfoy.

Personally, I think the first way would be more interesting but let me know what you think in the comments, I'll go by which is more popular, so I won't do the one that is outvoted.


	2. Chapter 2: Settling In

"Fathers told me all about the wizarding world," Malfoy ranted on, "They're some really dodgy people as well."

"Like who?" Pansy answered, reckoning she knew one wizard, "I'm pretty sure Mundungus Fletcher is dodgy."

"I reckon he is too," Malfoy replied, "but no point making assumptions."

Malfoy glanced towards Harry's direction, curious about his interests, this was a complete change of topic but so be it; the more he knew about the Potter boy the better.

"Do you like Quidditch?"

"Yeah!" Harry shot as though it was the dumbest question he had ever been asked, "who doesn't?"

"Only a dumb mud-blood with barely any common sense," Malfoy joked, even though Harry had acted sarcastically earlier on. The rest in the compartment sniggered for several moments which clearly never seemed to end; Harry was going to like these people, he knew for sure. The fact that they found mostly everything amusing just as he did greatly satisfied him, it made Harry feel though he had friends who understood him. Maybe he was destined to hang out with these exact people. Bit too far though, probably not.

As the train drew to a close, the "gang" formed in Harry's compartment proceeded to a boat, acknowledging the fact that first years travelled to school by them. A giant seeming teacher boomed out the instructions of how going by boat worked, though Harry and his friends had already settled.

Malfoy seemed to find it amusing to splash water at nearby boats; especially Ron and Hermione's. They refused to act at the immaturity, well Ron was tempted to, but Hermione had convinced him not to.

"The sorting will be interesting," Malfoy's smirk increased, "We'll see who the worthy Slytherins are. I'll never forgive any of you for making it into Gryffindor or Hufflepuff."

"Looks like I'm going to try my best to get into Slytherin then," Harry lightly sighed and simantaneously, the others (except Malfoy) agreed, though this was because Malfoy had already declared that he'd be in Slytherin.

It wasn't long before the first years had arrived at the castle. They were attentive to Professor McGongall as she fed them instructions as to how the sorting worked.

"You will be called alphabetically to the front of the hall and from there the sorting hat shall select you a house," she glared towards the pupils, "Do I make myself clear?"

A chorus of yes' filled the room; the first years alphabetically lined up as they awaited their results from the sorting hat. Harry's nerves kicked in, what if he was sorted into a terrible house and his friends didn't think of him as the same person they knew and befriended? Enough of those negative thoughts.


End file.
